The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-12

coming Scarce
The churches in New York are trying TO
solve the problem how and where the music
for 1897 is to be obtained There is money
enough To pay for cultivated voices, but
the trouble is that trained voices are not in
the market. As in times past the church
going public demanded that they should
have preacher of celebrity and power, 50
now they demand that cultivated voices
shall be furnished for the choir. Although
there is u development of the craving for
chorus choirs and for double quaTtets,
nothing short of a we'll balanced, competent
choir that can interpret the most difficult
selections win satisfy the average church
gOer. In fact, the character of the music
rendered by church choir to-day is of as
much importance AMI great a drawing card
as the man who occupies the pulpit Con
sequently the church music committees
having very Industrious hunt for good
voices.
Cultivated soprano and tenor voices are
in great demand, and it seems that the vocal
lists of New y ori1 are looking for salaries
well as fame. 1t is estimated that the sala-
ries paid for church music in this city, al
though ranging from 800 10 5000 per
year, aggregate without doubt many times
the pastoral salaries Ii has long been
the complaint of those engaged in church
CnOl WORK ttiiJ tlltN were DN NO means SUI
fciently recompenScd for the time and abil
ity involved, but 50 long as volunteers and
able recruits could be hal almost for the
asking their plants and criticisms were
unheedcd.
FOUND a BETTER MARKET.
Il do not think the secret of the present
dearth of good voices is that singers have
determined to be paid for their work or not
sing" said a well known wielier of the
choriSter baton the other day. 1T is rather
that they have found a much better market
for their voices. Since the introduction of
'Pinaforc' into this country the church
chors have been ransacked and depleted
TO the end Of furnishing leading and chorus
voices for the multitude of comic operas
that have quickly and successfully fol-
lowed Gilbert and Sullivau'S tuneful history
of Ralph Raclstraw. Where n good singer
once lent the best endeavOrs To- obtaining
position in n church choir. to-day the rule
is to seek ont some manager in anticipation
of securing am engagement ON the stage.
Even those persons who have not succeeded
in finding such engagement stiIl refuse
church work because they hope soon 10 81
cure the long coveted place on the operate
or theatrical stage. In brief, the church has
been robbed by the stage for the past five
years.
mot only are our own city churches in
need Of good voices because. Of this gradua-
ton to the stage. but because out of town
churches, finding il difficult 10 secure com
petent voices have invaded New York and
by making liberal offers have carried away
some of our best singers. There plenty
of singers 70 be sure but there is a scarcity
of available voices of tho requisite cultiva-
ton for church service. Though the main
difficulty Sssems To be- in obtaining sopranos
and tcnor~, the deficiency Is really not con
fined to one class * voralists. Altos and
bass voices can DO had, but they must be
literally paid for | call 10 mind now an
instance where one church in this city Will
pay a newly engaged alto more than double
the salary given 10 her predecessor. While
many bass and baritone voice are in the
market So 70 srcak the rich, deep, well
rounded bass Is 10 bc Obtained only with
much difficulty. Singers possessing voices
have no cultivation, ami those Whose voices
show culture are lacking in the desired tim
Der. 1t Is fact that in order u retain the
valuabl,. coupoueuts OF their choirs many
of the churches viii have 10 increase the
salaries next year more than ever before.
! As | look back | can call 70 mind several
well known cumI on the road that
represent many Of the best voices that have
/ been heard in church choirs. New York
I Mail and Express.
VI. de Lr~>rps' Daughter
! On her return To Paris. after her recent
1 visit to this country with her father 10 81
the statue of Liberty unveiled, the LITTLE
daughter OF Il lie I,S~eUS remarked Of the
Americans ~yntentiously; ''C'eet un grand
peuple,' Just a great poets golden haired
! baby = rclot te,l 70 have saId-IS1iut5u Ing from
IA Sorrento hut,I window toward the \capoh
tan gulf and the slopes OF Ne>uviuS-''T ht
lines are tiue""--Ctica<o Times.